


When The Universe Links People Together, They Always Find Their Way Back To Each Other

by ownedbythestars (ljrvs)



Series: Linked by the Universe [6]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Canon Compliant - Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Character Study, Friendship, Gen, I'm Bad At Tagging, Injured Poe Dameron, Missing Scene, Poe-centric, Series, Spoilers, Star Wars: The Force Awakens Spoilers, Strong Female Characters, mentions of torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-16
Updated: 2020-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:35:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23167075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ljrvs/pseuds/ownedbythestars
Summary: Poe was quiet. “On the off chance he did survive: think we’ll ever run into each other again?”Jess sighed and considered her words for a moment. “I think that when the Universe links people together, they always find their way back to each other.”---A missing scene between Jess and Poe from when Poe makes it back to D'Qar after Jakku.
Relationships: Poe Dameron & Black Squadron, Poe Dameron & Finn, Poe Dameron & Jessika Pava, Poe Dameron & Leia Organa
Series: Linked by the Universe [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1658350
Kudos: 28





	When The Universe Links People Together, They Always Find Their Way Back To Each Other

**Author's Note:**

> Part of my "Linked by the Universe" Series. AKA I read the entire Poe Dameron comic series in a 3 day period and decided that Jessika Pava needs more story time. So I wrote it for her.
> 
> Anything you think you recognize/think may have been stolen from another fandom, it's entirely possible. "Good writers borrow, great writers steal." -T.S. Eliot
> 
> Unbeta-ed, so if you see something, tell me. Kudos and comments adored!

34 ABY

Poe leaned against the wall at the head of his Medbay bed. He was trying to be as patient as he could be while Dr. Kalonia ran scans and checked him over to approve him for active duty, but he wanted nothing more than to run out of the Medbay and straight to his X-Wing. Poe had been injured enough times in his life that he had a pretty good sense of his body and potential injuries incurred. His self-inventory of injury let him know that while he was far from his best condition, he had certainly flown in worse shape.

Kalonia seemed to agree, but had already told him that when she cleared him for active duty, it didn’t clear him entirely. He would have to come back for a mandatory psych eval and a follow-up appointment to check the healing progress of his various injuries. She also knew Poe Dameron, though, and threatened him—telling him that if he didn’t come back, she’d have him grounded. Poe found that all fair and fine—standard protocol even. Right now, though, he just needed official medical approval to get out of here because waiting was giving him way too much time to think about everything that had gone wrong in the last week.

“Heya Boss,” a voice greeted from the door. He opened his eyes to see Jessika Pava leaning against the doorframe. “Saw your ship was back. Figured you mighta landed yourself in here.”

“Jess,” he grinned at his friend. “How ya doin’?”

“Fine. Better now that I know you’re not dead.”

“Oh really?”

“Yep. I still kinda want to punch you in the throat for making us think you _were_ dead, but…looks like you’ve already had your fair share.”

“Appreciate it.”

“Well, that, and Dr. Kalonia told me if I hurt you, I was banned from visiting people in Medbay for life. And I believe her.”

“Ahh, there’s the truth,” he chuckled, careful of his injured ribs. Just bruises, but still painful.

“How about you?” she pushed his feet over to the side of the bed to make room for herself.

“Alive, so that’s something.”

“You scared me, you know,” she said as she made herself comfortable at the foot of his bed, her legs extending up the side of his. “Scared all of us. You missed three check-ins, you know. Officially, you were MIA. And if you'd have missed a fourth, the General would have commed your dad. I can't tell you how much I would not want to be on that call. But we weren't exactly handling it super well ourselves. Snap and Iolo were going crazy—they couldn't stand still. I don't think I've ever seen the auxiliary ships in such great shape. Karé acted like she was too cool—that she knew you’d be fine, but you know how she is. Niv was out on recon, but if he'd been around, he'd have been running survival rates like C-3PO.”

"What about you?"

Jess shrugged. "A little of everything. I can field strip and reassemble my blaster in less than 50 seconds now. I ran. A lot. My ship and my room are impeccably clean. Then I argued with Ematt about going after you, trying to get him to let me do it. And when that didn't work, I begged the General to send me out on anything that got me off base. She sent me out a few times, but nowhere far. So, I just generally tried to feel like I had control when I didn't. You know me."

“I know. I’m sorry. Definitely wasn’t part of the plan.”

“Wait, the plan wasn’t to go radio silent, miss your rendezvous, and then show up here looking like you went a few rounds with a Wookie? Wow, I severely misjudged you,” Jess feigned shock.

“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up.”

“I’m just really glad you’re back. So…you gonna tell me what happened?” Jess let her hand rest on his shin, as if confirming he was truly there.

“Um…which part?”

“Why don’t you start with when you went radio silent on Jakku and end when I walked through that door?”

Poe took a deep breath. “So…I found him. Lor San Tekka. He was in this nothing of a village on Jakku. He gave me the map, but…then the First Order showed up…” Poe told her about everything: the Stormtroopers, giving the map to BB-8, Kylo Ren, the civilians who were massacred, being taken to the _Finalizer._ He told her the details he would gloss over in his official report: the torture, the Interrogation Droid, Kylo Ren ripping into his head and the feeling of him raking his fingers through his mind, the feeling of failure when Ren found the map's location, realizing and accepting that he would die on that Star Destroyer, and finally, his miraculous escape with a rogue Stormtrooper. Years before, he and Jess had promised each other that they would never lie to the other again. Poe took that promise more seriously than just about anything else in his life. He knew Jess did, too.

Poe had always appreciated how Jess listened to him when he spoke. How she listened to everyone, to be honest. He knew most people saw all of her pilot snark and bravado and came to their own conclusions about how she probably didn’t pay attention to anyone, except maybe General Organa or sometimes Poe, but only if he pulled rank. What very few people knew about Jessika Pava is that she was acutely aware of what people said and, sometimes more importantly, what they didn’t say. Listening had kept her alive for years and was a skill she continued to hone, even if now, others saw her as loud and impulsive. When it was just the two of them, though, she had a way of being quiet and attentive and making him feel _heard_ in a way that very few people could.

“We crashed onto Jakku. I…I lost some time, not really sure how much. Had a pretty nasty head injury and amnesia for a bit. Started walking and was found by a scavenger in the middle of nowhere. Finally got my memory back, just in time to help my ride deal with some other scavengers. He took me to an outpost and bartered to get me off-world in thanks. Got me as far as Yavin IV, where I got my X-Wing and flew back.”

"Taken captive on another Star Destroyer? Come on, Dameron, at least go for some variation."

"Hux says hi, by the way."

"So he recognized you?"

"Oh yeah. Still hates me. And you, for that matter."

"I'm honored he even remembers me," Jess said dryly.

"You and Niv kriffed up an entire Star Destroyer. I don't think he'll forget you anytime soon."

Jess smiled. "How's your head?"

"You know, after nearly a week of pain and injury without medical, pain tablets are amazing. Headache has gone from overwhelming to a dull roar."

“Why is the fact you received a head injury the least surprising part of this whole story?”

“Shut up, J,” Poe grinned and jokingly kicked at her.

She easily blocked his foot and smiled back at him. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m insanely jealous you got to fly a TIE. What was that like?”

Poe grinned. It didn’t matter if they were First Order ships, any pilot would tell you that TIE Fighters were phenomenal ships. “Amazing. So responsive. And the speed! Jess, I can’t even explain how incredibly that thing could move. Wish I coulda flown it when I wasn’t running for my life, see what it can really do! Don’t get me wrong, I’m not giving up my X-Wing for anything, but damn, what a ship,” Poe winced. “Felt kinda bad crashing it.”

Jess laughed before sobering quickly. “Speaking of crashes: what about your injuries?” she asked, her eyes roaming over his body.

“Dehydrated, banged up ribs, some cuts, and various other bruises. My face is looking flawless as always with a split lip and a nice shiner. And you already know about the head injury—so a mild concussion, probably. Not anything too serious. Hell, Kalonia didn’t even consider using any more bacta than the bandages and I am fully behind any treatment that doesn't involve a bacta submersion.”

“What about up here?” she tapped the side of her head. “How’s all that after Kylo Ren…tortured you?” she asked, concerned. “Can’t speak from experience, but I’ve heard that someone using the Force to get into your brain isn’t…great,” she finished lamely, no other word feeling appropriate.

Poe hesitated. He could tell her the truth—that he _knew_ Kylo Ren from before, back when he was Ben Organa-Solo, or he could ignore it. Admitting to how much he knew about Kylo Ren could put the General under uncomfortable scrutiny, but he didn’t want to break his promise to Jess. He quickly landed on telling her as much of the truth as he felt was his to tell. “Not great is one way to describe it. Jess…I knew him. I knew Kylo Ren before he was…well…”

“Wait, what? When? How? Who is he?” Jess sat up and leaned forward intently.

“I knew him—when I was a teenager. Luke Skywalker established his Jedi Academy on Yavin IV—not all that far from where I grew up. When I was little, I wanted to be a Jedi so badly, but I don’t have the gift. Mom used to try and comfort me by telling me that all worthwhile pilots are Jedi in their own right—sensing the sky around them, making split-second decisions between life and death, helping people,” Poe grinned at the memory. “It’s a good sentiment now, but it didn’t matter to me then, though. I still wanted to be a Jedi. I would beg my parents to take me to the Temple so I could watch them train. That’s how I met him….he was training with Luke Skywalker to be a Jedi. His name was Ben before he...changed.”

“Shit, Poe, I didn’t know that. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t know it was him until he was torturing me and took off his mask,” he shook his head. “I thought Ben died six years ago.”

“That’s ‘bout when we met. You never told me that your friend died. Or, well…” she finished lamely.

“We weren’t friends is the thing,” Poe shrugged. “Ben didn’t do friends. He was always kind of a loner. But he was nice to me. So when I heard that he died…it was sad, but…”

“Not planet shaking.”

“No, not planet shaking,” Poe confirmed.

Jess let out a sharp hiss through her teeth. “That’s a lot to take in. Finding out that someone you thought was dead is alive—and not only is he alive, but he's Kylo Ren—and then being tortured by him. For real, Poe, how are you?”

Poe clenched and unclenched his jaw, trying “I…I dunno. Shaken. Confused. A little…”

“Adrift?”

Poe smirked. That was Jess’s word. It was the one she used for any time she felt her past creeping up on her—when she felt particularly disconnected. ”Yeah, adrift. But I think I’m OK. Kalonia wants me to do a psych eval, but I feel fine. But there’s also a sense of…violation, I guess. Someone ripping into your mind like that.”

“I think a psych eval a good idea.” Jess nodded.

Poe couldn't help but smile: he had all but forced Jess at blaster point to go to a psytech after her run-in with Groatan years before and now, she was his squad’s biggest proponent of it.

The two sat in comfortable silence before Jess leaned forward and patted his knee. “Did you see Kes on Yavin IV?”

“No,” Poe shook his head. “Last thing my dad needed was to see his only kid beat to hell.” _Or to find out it was because of Ben Solo_ , he thought darkly.

“When’s the last time you talked to him?”

“It’s been a couple months.”

Jess groaned a laugh. “He’s gonna be pissed if he ever finds out you were on planet and didn’t go see him. You haven’t seen him in, what, four years?”

“Exactly. So you’re not gonna tell him, right Pava?”

“I could be convinced,” she smirked.

“Blackmailing a senior officer? Not a good look.”

Jess grinned brightly, a response on the tip of her tongue when a med-droid came in to run another scan of Poe and asked him a few questions. Though it didn’t say anything, Jess could tell the droid was not happy with her being on Poe’s bed. She sat quietly, hoping the droid wouldn’t try to kick her out, as Poe was poked and prodded by the pushy med-unit. After the droid left, Poe shook his head and sighed.

“Well that was dramatic,” Jess teased gently. “Credit for your thoughts?”

“I’m just thinking about that Stormtrooper,” Poe said softly. “When he took off his helmet, I was surprised that there was a person under there. When did I stop thinking of them as people and start thinking of them as empty suits of armor?”

“It’s war,” Jess shrugged. “Sometimes it’s easier if you don’t think about who or what’s at the other end of your scope.”

“Yeah, but he was just a kid. Younger than you or Niv. And he was terrified but filled with this…stupid, wild hope. Hope that just maybe, he’d get out of there. And I let him down.” He paused. “Do you know that they don’t even give them names? Just designations, like they’re just a piece of machinery. FN-2187—he said it was the only name they'd ever given him. What kind of life is that to not even have a name? I couldn’t call him that. So, I called him Finn. He was his own man with his own name for a whole five minutes before I let him die.” He turned away from Jess.

“Hey, you didn’t let anyone die,” Jess’s hand wrapped tightly around his ankle. “I know you and I know that you did your damn best to try and get both of you out of there. You gave him a name. You let him be free of their control when he died. You gave him hope. That…that’s a lot. Trust me.”

Poe nodded. “I mean, maybe. I just wish I could have…saved him, or something. We had a connection—like we were meant to be in each other’s lives. You ever meet someone and know you’re _meant_ to be friends?”

“Yeah, you.”

Poe grinned. “True.” He sighed. “I guess I’m mourning a friendship I’ll never get to have.”

“You’ve always had a thing for surrounding yourself with heroes,” Jess grinned.

“Oh yeah? So why are you still around?” Poe teased.

"You hurt me, Dameron,” she dramatically brought a hand to her heart. “And I’m as heroic as they come.”

Poe laughed. It felt good to be with his friend, especially when he’d thought he’d never see her again. “I know you are—you’re one of the bravest people I know.”

Jess paused and considered Poe for a minute. She slid off the foot of the bed and moved to sit on the edge of the mattress by Poe's hip. She reached out and put a hand on each side of Poe’s head, gently moving it back and forth and all around, staring at his eyes.

“What are you doing?”

“Yeah, definitely a head injury. Where’s that sentimentality coming from?” Jess grinned.

Poe swatted her hands away. “I’m being serious. Not everyone would survive what you have. And even fewer would go out and fight back. And it’s important to me that you know I think you’re amazing.”

Jess shook her head. “I’m not as brave as you seem to think I am.”

“You’re not sitting where I am.”

Jess smiled and pushed some of Poe’s curls off his forehead. “I’m still saying this is the head injury talking,” she told him, “but thank you.” She winked. “You’re not so bad yourself, Dameron.”

“You flatter me," he drawled and knocked her hands away. He still couldn’t believe he was here—that he’d made it home. He blinked a few times, trying to dispel any tears before they fell.

“Hey,” Jess took his hand. “You ok?”

Poe huffed a laugh. Of course she noticed. “I’m just thinking how lucky I am to be back here—with you. When I was on the _Finalizer_ , after the Stormtroopers were done beating me, and Hux had left with his interrogation droid, and Kylo Ren had finished digging through my brain, I knew I would die there. And I couldn’t stop myself from thinking that I would never see you again and that you would be so mad at me for that.”

Jess smiled sadly. “Damn right. I was worried about you, Poe. You scared me good.”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’m just glad I get to see you again. That you’re back.”

“It feels good to be home again.”

“Medical feels like home?” she teased.

“No, but you do.” Poe froze. He couldn’t believe he just said that out loud. Why did he say that? Yeah, his head injury was definitely worse than he thought it was. Jess stared at him in awkward silence for what felt like an eon, trying to work out what he meant by that. “You’re my best friend,” he added lamely.

“Well, thank the Universe for Finn the Rogue Stormtrooper getting you out and sending you back. Don’t think I could manage without my best friend, either. Anything else you want to tell me about this Finn guy?” Jess asked, neatly ignoring his comment.

“You woulda liked him.” Poe forced a smile and tried to move past his last comment to Jess.

“I bet I would have,” Jess agreed. “Defected from the First Order and managed to save your sorry ass in a matter of minutes, he had to be good stuff.”

Poe smiled ruefully. “Do you think there’s any chance he’s still alive?”

“Maybe,” Jess shrugged. “You shouldn’t be, but here you are. Maybe he’s lucky, too. The Universe doesn’t always give out second chances, but you and the people around you seem to have them in spades.”

“I’ve used more than my fair share of second chances. He should have gotten this one.”

“Don’t talk like that. I trust the Universe knows what she’s doing. Or the Force, if you've decided that you subscribe to that.”

Poe was quiet. “Hey, J...on the off chance he did survive: think we’ll ever run into each other again?”

Jess sighed and considered her words for a moment. “I think that when the Universe links people together, they always find their way back to each other.”

Poe gave Jess an assessing look, trying to see if she was teasing him. But he only saw honesty—she believed what she said. “Thanks,” he finally managed. The moment was about to cross into the region of “too sappy” for their friendship, he realized, and he’d already crossed that boundary once today. Maybe his head injury was more serious than he or Kalonia thought it was. Belatedly, he added, “Since when did you wax philosophical?”

“Since I thought my best friend was dead and needed a new hobby other than annoying him,” she winked and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “I’m gonna go see if Kalonia has given you the all-clear yet. Rumor is that we might have a mission coming in.”

“What kind of mission?”

“If you believe the rumors, Han Solo has been spotted with a ‘one of a kind’ BB unit on Takodana.”

“BB-8?” Poe lit up.

“Could be,” she grinned and stepped out of the room.

“Hey Jess!” he shouted.

“What?” she reappeared in the doorway, feigning annoyance.

“Thanks for, well, you know.”

Jess smiled. “Always for you.”

“Always for you,” Poe repeated.

“I’ll be right back,” Jess laughed and disappeared again.

Poe relaxed, resting his head against the wall. He watched his heart rate on the screen next to him and imagined it as a flightpath in his X-Wing. The other vitals stood in for his squad or TIE Fighters. It was a never-ending battle, he knew, one that would end in more ways than one when those lines crossed—when he died. Like he almost had just days before. The thought chilled him.

“Am I interrupting something?” a voice broke into his daydream. He smiled before turning to look at the door.

“Never, General,” he greeted.

“Haven’t we reached a point you can call me Leia, Poe?” Leia smiled.

“Think that’s gonna take some time, General. Have a seat,” he vaguely gestured to the plastic chairs along the wall. “Sorry I didn’t clean up.”

“Quiet, Dameron,” she laughed. “And unfortunately, I won’t be here long,” she said, sounding truly regretful she had to go, “but I had to come check on you.”

“Of course. At 1838 hours, I made contact with Lor San Tekka—” Poe began.

“Poe, I’m not here as a General, but as a friend. There will be time for a full debriefing later. Right now I want to know: how are _you_?”

“I’m alive, so by all accounts, that’s better than I should be,” he laughed darkly. “I’m sorry, General, I failed the mission. Kylo Ren knows where the map is—he dug it out of my mind. He’s going after BB-8.”

“Poe, this isn’t your fault. No one could be expected to stand up to Kylo Ren’s methods—to the Force. Are you ok?”

“I’m fine, I think,” he paused. Nervously, he looked back up at Leia. “It’s him, though, you know. He’s Ben.”

Leia sighed. “I know.” She nodded sadly.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Leia sighed. “I didn’t want it to be real,” she said eventually. “For you or for me.”

“I didn’t know it was him at first. I didn’t want to believe it, but he took off that…mask he wears and…”

Leia nodded silently. “You knew his face,” she finished for him. Poe nodded his head.

“We weren’t ever…friends, I guess, cause...he didn't really do friends, you know...but I didn’t think he’d hurt me like that. I didn't think he _hated_ me like that. Cause it hurt...a lot. And he was just raging through my mind like it was nothing,” Poe said softly. “Kalonia wants me to come back in for a psych eval.”

“That’s probably for the best,” she nodded.

“That’s what Jess said, too.” Poe shifted on his bed. “He acted like he didn’t know me.”

“He’s trying to distance himself from everything that made him Ben. Luke, Han, Chewbacca, you, me…” she shrugged sadly. “I don’t even know how much of my son is left under those robes and that mask.” She reached out and took Poe’s hand. “I’m sorry for whatever he did to you, Poe. However he hurt you.”

“Don’t be. It’s not your fault. And General, I’m sorry for what’s happened with Ben,” Poe started. “I can’t imagin—" He was interrupted by the sound of comms going off throughout the Medbay and running feet. Leia pulled out her comm unit, scrolling through the messages that were arriving faster than she could read with one hand and holding onto Poe with the other. He couldn’t help but notice that she almost looked relieved for him to have been interrupted.

Moments later, Jess came running into the room, already dressed in her orange flight suit and holding another one in her arm. She slid to a stop when she saw General Organa in the room and looked between the two before remembering her purpose.

“'Scuse me, General. Poe, Kalonia says you can go, but psych eval as soon as your boots are back on the ground and if you die out there, she’s not responsible,” Jess told him quickly as she tossed the flight suit at Poe and picked up his boots from the floor to drop on his bed. “Let’s make tracks, Dameron.”

“We’ll talk when you get back, Commander. I want to hear everything. May the Force be with you,” Leia promised with a squeeze of Poe’s hand before taking her leave.

Poe slid off the hospital bed, muscles protesting. He pulled on the flight suit and finally felt like himself again—a beat-up version, but definitely more himself than he had in a few days. “Where we going?”

“Rumors were true. Takodana. Maz Kanata’s place is under attack. Major Ematt wants us in the air five minutes ago, so we’re leaving now. We’ll get details en route.”

“Black-1 isn’t ready to fly,” he said as they raced towards the hanger.

“You sure about that?” she grinned and pointed towards Black-1. Snap and Iolo were next to it, finishing the pre-flight procedures. “Like I said, they missed you.”

“Hey Jess,” Poe grabbed her wrist before she took off for Blue-3.

“What now?” she teased.

“I think the Universe linked us together, too, and that’s how we keep finding out way back to each other,” he said.

Jess grinned. “Stars, you’re a sap,” she said before wrapping him in a hug. “And I’m glad you found your way back,” she whispered in his ear before she gave him a quick peck on the cheek and raced over to Blue-3.

“Hey! Look who’s back!” Niv shouted from his cockpit.

“Welcome back, Commander!” Karé gave a lazy salute as she climbed up the ladder on her X-Wing. Poe grinned and waved at both of them.

“What are you two doing?” Poe asked when he got to his ship.

“Thought you might need a head start on maintenance and preflight,” Iolo said.

“Seeing as you were stuck in Medical _again_ ,” Snap grinned. “Head injury?”

“Shut up, Snap.” Poe rolled his eyes and looked for his helmet.

“Here, Boss,” Iolo said, tossing it to him.

“Thanks. Both of you.”

Snap laughed. “Couldn’t go up without you, buddy.”

Poe grinned. “Go load up, sounds like we’ve got work to do.”


End file.
